Parental interaction patterns in children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder and control group

BACKGROUND: Parental communication patterns influence children s personality. This study investigated effects of parental interaction patterns on children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). METHODS: There were 50 male children, 7-12 years old, selected in two groups. The first group included students with ADHD referred to psychiatry clinics in Isfahan-based on diagnostic scale of DSM-IV (25 subjects). The second group involved healthy boys selected by random cluster multistage sampling from primary schools in five districts of Isfahan (25 subjects) from September 2005 to March 2005. Schaffer and Edgerton parental interaction questionnaire was filled for them. RESULTS: Mean scores of parental interaction patterns in healthy children were all higher than those in ADHD children except for aggression control and lack of aggressive attachment . CONCLUSIONS: The severity of ADHD signs has negative relationship with parental admission and parental control patterns. It also has positive relationship with lack of aggressive/attachment and aggressive/control patterns.